Two-sided handle brush

ABSTRACT

Two-sided handle brush having a frame in which there are mounted in opposed relationship two brushing bodies each including a base plate on which a bendable brushing means is mounted. The brushing means may, for example, have the bristles thereof disposed at an acute angle with respect to the general plane of the base plate of the brushing means, whereby the brushing means serves as an efficient cleaning device.

United States Patent Krusche [54] TWO-SIDED HANDLE BRUSH [72] Inventor: Kurt R. Krusche, Nansenring 22,

Frankfurt/Main, Germany [22] Filed: March 1,1971

121] Appl. No.: 119,505

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 27, 1970 Germany ..G 70 07 182.8

[52] US. Cl ..15/106, 15/171 [51] Int. Cl. ..A46b 3/10 [58] Field of Search ..401/196, 200, 23, 24, 25, 34, 401/35, 37; 15/258, 106,105, 231, 209 'R, 208,104.93, 235,160,159, 176,171

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 398,173 2/1889 Meeker 1 /176 1 Sept. 19, 1972 3,421,171 1/1969 Tsuruza'wa ..l5/160 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 855,906 11/1970 Canada ..l5/l 72 Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Attorney-Arthur O. Klein [57] ABSTRACT 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 19 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR:

/(wi R. KR uscHE TWO-SIDED HANDLE BRUSH The invention pertains to a two-sided handle brush, that is, one which is provided with brush elements on both sides.

Handle brushes having a fixed handle and being provided with brush members on one side are generally known. There are also known two-sided brushes having brush elements on both sides, in which the bristles, for example, are firmly embedded in a bristle support element. With the known two-sided embodiment of a crepe rubber brush body, there are provided slits in a stationary brush body, rolled or folded crepe rubber strips being mounted in such slits.

It is an object of this invention to provide a handle brush the brush body of which is two-sided, and which consists of two disc members, which preferably are provided with an elastic textile-like brush element.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a two-sided handle brush which is characterized by a frame which is fixedly connected with the handle, and which two support plates are formed as brush bodies back-to-back and are firmly embedded in the frame. The opposite surfaces of the brush elements are provided with brush materials.

The brush materials on both of the opposite sides of the brush body can thereby be provided with identical or different known materials suitable for brushing purposes.

The invention is illustrated in conjunction with drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in detail.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a two-sided handle brush;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the handle brush in which no brush body has been mounted;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the handle brush in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of the portion of FIG. 3 designated with the circle B.

The illustrated handle brush consists, for example, of plastic material and is made of two identical half-discs or cups. The brush can also be manufactured of a cor respondingly suitable additional material which can be handled and processed in a manner similar to textile material.

On the handle 1, which is preferably made of one piece, there is formed a frame 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 2 is slightly trapezoidally-shaped, but can also be rectangular, triangular, multiangular, round, or oval. In the frame there is mounted on both sides a brush element which is covered with brush material 3, 3, in such a manner that the brush elements, for example, bristles, extend away from each other, that is, practically offset with respect to each other by 180.

A brush consisting of plastic or also metal and having a handle can be constructed as is illustrated in the drawings. In this embodiment, the short bristles are provided as brush elements, and are mounted in a flat brush support, such as, for example, a woven material. As already mentioned, the brush bodies can be provided with any type of flexible brush material.

The illustrated example consists of two identical plastic half-cups la, 2a and 1b, 2b, which are secured to each other in a simple manner. By means of such halfcups one obtains considerable technical advantages.

As can be noted from FIG. 3, a sleeve 4 extends towards the interior at the vicinity of the handle end of the half-cup 1a. Into this sleeve 4 there extends from the other half-cup lb towards the interior a pin 5 which is tightly fitted with respect to the sleeve 4. The sleeve 4 and pin 5 serve simultaneously as spacer elements for increasing the stiffness of the grip l. The peripheral flange 6 bent around the entire periphery of the halfcup la of the grip is, at its end surface, provided with a pin 6' which extends into a corresponding recess 7 in the first end surface of the directed end surface of the periphery of the bent border flange 7 of the second half-cup of the grip. The pin 6' and recess 7 are so dimensioned that the pin 6' fits tightly into the recess 7. Such pins in one of the half-cups which fit into recesses in the other half-cups are quite advantageous and consequently a large number of them may be provided.

As can be noted from FIG. 3,. there is furthermore provided at the forward end of the frame 2 in the halfcup portion 2a and 2b, a pin 8 and a recess 9 which interflt with each other. Advantageously there may be provided a large number of such pins and recesses in the opposite surfaces and the arrangement thereof may be alternated. In the sectional view according to FIG. 3, both of the brush elements which are provided with brush materials 3 and 3' are shown without support or base plates. A portion of the base: plate 11 is illustrated in the partial view of FIG. 5.

The flat brush materials 3 and 3' are mounted with their base plates ll, 11 back-to-back in the frame 2 and are maintained securely by means of teeth 10. These teeth are disposed along the periphery and bear against the brush material (3, 3'), in particular the portion that corresponds to the frame half-cups 2a, respectively 2b, directed upwardly, respectively downwardly, that means always directed towards the brush interior. In order for these teeth to bear against a resisting surface and in order to plant firmly the border portion of the brush material 3, 3' therein arranged, there is provided for each brush material 3, 3' a base plate 11 forming the brush body, at the exterior surfaces of which the flat brush material can be pulled on. This base plate is along its entire periphery bent upwardly, so that it assumes the shape of a flat cup. Its upper edge is again bent outwardly and forms a horizontal projecting portion or collar 12, which extends along the entire periphery of the base plate 1 l and engages via the teeth 10 the periphery of the frame portion 2.

In order to provide for the flat, bendable brush means provided with bristles or other equivalent elements a frame support there are provided at the exterior periphery of the projecting element or collar 12 of the base plate 11. a number of teeth 13, which are shown to be directed downwardly in FIG. 5. The circumference of these teeth is at all times directed in the direction of the upper surface of the base plate 11. The

flat, bendable brush means is then disposed between the upwardly directed portion of the base plate 11 and the edge of the frame portions 2a, respectively 2b, which project against this portion of the base plate 11 and is thusly guided in a somewhat S-shape around the points of the teeth 10 and 13. In this manner the brush means 3, 3' provided with bristles is firmly and tightly held in position.

The base plates 11, which are of identical construction, have a plurality of spacer posts 14 distributed over their surfaces, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Opposite posts 14 are aligned with each other, their inner ends abutting along the central longitudinal plane of the brush. By means of the spacer members 14 the stiffness of the brush is increased.

Such a construction of the individual brush members makes it possible to construct a two-sided brush in a very simple manner. Each frame portion is first mounted in one way, and then the brush means and finally the brush plate is mounted thereon. Then both of the shaped members or shaped halves are clamped together and thus the individual brush portions are firmly connected by engaging into each other, that is, by having the complementary engaging and clamping members engage, respectively, clamp to each other. This new type of handle brush is suitable, in particular for brush elements consisting of bristles, which are mounted in a flat, bendable brush means in an oblique position and in which all of the bristles are inclined in one direction. One can deal herewith with a relatively long or short bristle. With such brushes having inclined bristles, one must take care that during the brushing operation the points of the bristles are directed in a direction opposite to the brushing movement so that the dirt particles to be removed can be grasped by the bristles and moved into the intermediate bristle spaces. When the brush is moved in the opposite direction, the retained dirt particles are again released and fall out of the intermediate spaces. Since, however, the brush, during the brush operation, is frequently changed from one hand to the other, it is particularly difficult with handle brushes, to maintain at all times the correct brushing stroke. With a two-sided brush the exchange from one hand to the other can be carried out in an extremely simple manner, since the handle is only turned 180 around its longitudinal axis in order to adjust the bristle points along the most comfortable brushing stroke direction. In such a case, the opposite back-toback arranged brush bodies with the brushing means therein affixed are mounted in the frame in such a way that their obliquely extending bristle points are inclined in the same direction. The bristle points may, in the opposite brushing means, be directed in the opposite direction. An arrow on the frame or on the handle indicates at all times the brushing direction, that is, the inclination of the, bristles. The flat brushing means is advantageously cushioned in a known manner.

In lieu of the inclined bristles being mounted on the flat, bendable support means, respectively brushing means, there can also be mounted other brushing elements, as for example, velvet, plush or similar material. If this is done, then the brush can, for example, also be used for polishing shoes, whereby clue to the different colors of the brushing elements, such as for example, light and dark, brown, black, etc., at all times the side for the shoe color to be brushed can be noted. Obviously also normal brushing bristles can be used and furthermore, for example, one of the sides of the brush may have coarse bristles and the other side fine bristles thereby being adapted for coarse and fine brushing operations respectively.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such an embodiment, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A two-sided handle brush, comprising a handle connected with a frame, two base plates formed as brushing bodies being firmly mounted back-to-back in the frame, the opposite surfaces of the brushing bodies being provided with brushing elements on which there are mounted bendable brushing means, said frame being constructed of two identical half-cups, the frame and the handle portion of each half-cup forming a unitary construction.

2. A handle brush according to claim 1, comprising a peripheral flange extending around the entire periphery of each of the half-cups, a pin extending from the end surface of one of said peripheral flanges and being adapted to firmly engage into a recess in the other end surface of the peripheral flange extending around the entire periphery of the second half-cup.

3. A handle brush according to claim 2, comprising pins and corresponding recesses in the flanges of opposing half-cups, said pins and recesses being alternately arranged in the opposite end surfaces of both halfcups.

4. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge of each base plate is bent upwardly and at its upper edge is bent outwardly thus forming a projecting member or collar which engages via the brushing means the portion of the corresponding half-cup, the edge of the half-cup being provided in the brush interior with teeth.

5. A handle brush according to claim 4, comprising further teeth around the periphery of the outer edge of the projecting member or collar, said further teeth en'- gaging between the teeth of the frame half-cup in the direction of the exterior surface of the base plate at the outer edge thereof, the peripheral edge of the bendable brushing means being clamped by means of the further teeth mounted on the base plate and by means of the teeth extending from the frame half-cup, thus causing the bendable brushing means to be approximately S- shaped.

6. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein there project from both of the facing inner surfaces of the brush half-cups firmly engaging sleeves and pins which simultaneously constitute spacing means for increasing the stiffness of the brush.

7. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein the flat, bendable brushing means are provided with short bristles which are inclined and the points of which all extend in one direction.

8. A handle brush according to claim 7, wherein the bristle points in one brushing means of one of the brushing sides extend in the same direction as the bristle points in the brushing points of the other brushing side.

9. A handle brush according to claim 7, wherein on the handle or frame on each side of the brush there is affixed an arrow indicating the direction of inclination of the bristles.

10. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein soft brushing elements are provided on at least one side of the brushing means.

a: a: a: 

1. A two-sided handle brush, comprising a handle connected with a frame, two base plates formed as brushing bodies being firmly mounted back-to-back in the frame, the opposite surfaces of the brushing bodies being provided with brushing elements on which there are mounted bendable brushing means, said frame being constructed of two identical half-cups, the frame and the handle portion of each half-cup forming a unitary construction.
 2. A handle brush according to claim 1, comprising a peripheral flange extending around the entire periphery of each of the half-cups, a pin extending froM the end surface of one of said peripheral flanges and being adapted to firmly engage into a recess in the other end surface of the peripheral flange extending around the entire periphery of the second half-cup.
 3. A handle brush according to claim 2, comprising pins and corresponding recesses in the flanges of opposing half-cups, said pins and recesses being alternately arranged in the opposite end surfaces of both half-cups.
 4. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge of each base plate is bent upwardly and at its upper edge is bent outwardly thus forming a projecting member or collar which engages via the brushing means the portion of the corresponding half-cup, the edge of the half-cup being provided in the brush interior with teeth.
 5. A handle brush according to claim 4, comprising further teeth around the periphery of the outer edge of the projecting member or collar, said further teeth engaging between the teeth of the frame half-cup in the direction of the exterior surface of the base plate at the outer edge thereof, the peripheral edge of the bendable brushing means being clamped by means of the further teeth mounted on the base plate and by means of the teeth extending from the frame half-cup, thus causing the bendable brushing means to be approximately S-shaped.
 6. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein there project from both of the facing inner surfaces of the brush half-cups firmly engaging sleeves and pins which simultaneously constitute spacing means for increasing the stiffness of the brush.
 7. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein the flat, bendable brushing means are provided with short bristles which are inclined and the points of which all extend in one direction.
 8. A handle brush according to claim 7, wherein the bristle points in one brushing means of one of the brushing sides extend in the same direction as the bristle points in the brushing points of the other brushing side.
 9. A handle brush according to claim 7, wherein on the handle or frame on each side of the brush there is affixed an arrow indicating the direction of inclination of the bristles.
 10. A handle brush according to claim 1, wherein soft brushing elements are provided on at least one side of the brushing means. 